Since startup in January 1945 through December 1959, 4 {times} 10{sup 9} gallons of radioactive liquid wastes have been discharged to cribs and trenches at HAPO by the Chemical Processing Department facilities in the 200 Areas. These wastes contained approximately 2.5 {times} 10{sup 6} curies of beta emitters. The Scavenged Waste Recovery Program was completed in 1957 and Redox Plant process changes were made during the latter part of 1958. These changes resulted in significant reduction in the amount of radioactive materials that have been discharged to the ground in subsequent years, from a maximum of 8.2 {times} 10{sup 5} curies in 1955 to 9 {times} 10{sup 3} curies in 1959. Although these large amounts of radioactive materials have been discharged to the ground, periodic waste report inventories include no reduction due to radioactive decay. The estimated depletion by radioactive decay is the basis of this report.

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Experiments showed that 30% tributyl phosphate will not extract acid- deficient species of uranyl nitrate. Flooding throughputs for the Mark I stacked- clone contactor ranged from 600 cc/min organic at zero aqueous to 60 cc/min organic at 1950 cc aqueous. A large electronic vibrator of 5000-lb thrust was found somewhat inferior to pneumatic vibration for compacting oxide fuels into stainless-steel tubes. Tests were started on the use of fixed-bed CuO oxidizers for removing hydrogen contamination from helium gas streams. None of the variables studied within this period effected an increase in particle size in the denitration of thorium nitrate to produce ThO/sub 2/. The rate of uranyl sulfate loading on nitrate equilibrated Dowex 21K appears to be essentially independent of the loading solution sulfate concentration. The nitric acid concentrations corresponding to maximum UO/sub 2/-ThO/sub 2/ pellet dissolution rate were 15.5 M for Thorex solution and 13 M for the adjusted Darex solution. Two additional Semicontinuous Sulfex declad and Thorex core dissolutions of prototype Consolidated Edison fuel assemblies were made to complete the series of runs. The effective area of cylindrical UO/sub 2/ pellets dissolving in nitric acid was estimated from experimental rate measurements as a function of the fraction dissolved. …